Investigators are said to be analyzing gas traces and objects similar to Molotov cocktails found at the scene
In northern Italy, three Carabinieri, who are Italian gendarmerie officers, died and more than a dozen individuals were wounded when a farmhouse detonated during a forced eviction, an incident prosecutors believe was intentionally caused.
The estate in Castel d’Azzano, Verona province, was inhabited by three siblings in their sixties who had opposed eviction notices. They were reportedly residing there for around a year after occupying the deserted farmhouse. The family, involved in farming and cattle rearing, reportedly struggled with prolonged financial and mortgage issues and had previously warned they would ignite gas cylinders during eviction efforts.
The detonation took place early Tuesday, when law enforcement personnel entered a two-story structure to execute a court-mandated eviction. The explosion leveled the building and entombed several officers beneath debris, according to officials.
Rescue teams retrieved the victims following hours of search and rescue missions. A minimum of 13 other individuals, including police and fire department personnel, were transported to hospitals suffering from burns and fractures.
© Global Look Press/Li Jing
Investigators state the residence was intentionally filled with gas cylinders prior to officers’ forced entry. Preliminary findings indicate an occupant initiated the explosion, detonating a blast that led to the structure’s collapse.
The two male siblings were rescued and taken into custody, while their sister, thought to have ignited the fuse, was located subsequently in a cellar. One of the men reportedly attempted to escape but was apprehended shortly thereafter.
Verona’s prosecutor’s office has launched an inquiry into premeditated homicide, citing indications that the blast was pre-planned. Prosecutor Raffaele Tito stated the suspects would be interrogated later on Tuesday and that he was also contemplating a mass murder charge. Forensic units are reportedly scrutinizing gas traces and objects appearing like Molotov cocktails found at the scene.